I’ve always enjoyed the village builder genre a bit more than I should. I can lose weeks playing a good village builder, and I will always recommend the genre to those looking for a casual and relaxing experience with enough of a challenge to stay engaging. I typically do my best to avoid titles in the genre because of how much time I end up spending on them, but I like to keep my eye out for what’s available just in case.
I’ve been eyeing The Wandering Village for a while now, but I have been strong enough to not pull the trigger. The art is cute, the music score is nice, and the gameplay is what I’d expect from a cute and casual village builder. Now is a great time to get into the game because it is now available on Game Pass for both Xbox and PC, and it is getting its biggest update since its release. Players will now have access to the ocean which introduces a new biome, mechanics, and structures. If you are looking for a cute and casual entry into the village builder genre, it might be worth looking into The Wandering Village.
If you don’t have Game Pass, you can pick it up on Steam for $24.99. It’s currently on sale for. I just got my review code and will post a review as soon as I get back from vacation.
Krzyżacy – The Knights of the Cross: The beautiful pixel art deck builder coming to steam July 20th!
If you’ve been following my blog since the beginning or have seen the recent state of my blog, it is no secret that I love card games. I’ve spent way too much money on trading cards and am always looking for a new deck builder to add to my collection. The latest to catch my eye is a little game called Krzyżacy – The Knights of the Cross, coming to Steam on July 20, 2023.
Play as a knight who must help his people defeat the Teutonic Knights. The game is based on an award-winning story of the same name that covers the conflict between the Polish-Lithuanian people and the Teutonic Knights in the 15th century. I haven’t read the book, but I hope that means the story is good. I also hope the game is an accurate adaptation because I love learning about history.
As the knight, you travel the real collecting companions to fight with you and cards to make your deck stronger. There are 30 characters you can collect and level, and the freedom to build a deck that fits your playstyle. The combat looks like a strait forward deck builder but with a story and some RPG elements that might help it stand out against the genre. The game has seven chapters, 200 side quests, and a roguelite mode for hours of gameplay. That probably means this game is going to take me forever to complete.
What excites me most about this game is the art style. I love pixel art, and the design for Krzyżacy – The Knights of the Cross is amazing! The sprites are cute, the characters are cool, and the animation looks fun. There is a bit of fan service, but I don’t mind it. I’ve seen a lot worse, and the characters are too cool for it to matter.
I just received my review code for this game, and am super excited to try it out. I haven’t started the game, but I am also under embargo so I won’t be able to share my thoughts on the game just yet. I’ll get my review out as soon as I am able, so make sure you’re subscribed. Until then, make sure you add Krzyżacy – The Knights of the Cross to your wishlist.
Backpack Hero: The inventory management roguelike you should be playing
I was sent Backpack Hero as a review code, and while I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Backpack Hero is a charming little inventory roguelike that deserves a lot more attention. It has a cute art style, a nice soundtrack, and fun gameplay. This game is a lot more fun than an early-access game has the right to be. If you are looking for a chill game that will challenge you, get Backpack Hero.
Dive through procedurally generated dungeons as you fight enemies, find treasure, and manage your inventory. Space in your bag is limited, so choose carefully. How will you brave the unknown? Will you use magic? Poison? Swords? Ninja stars? The choice is yours! (and RNGesus’)
Players start with limited inventory space and gain more as their character levels. Dungeons are full of monsters, treasure, and random events that award players loot to shuffle around. Weapons, items, armor, and potions have unique skills that can interact with each other based on their placement in the backpack. Inventory management is almost like a deck builder as you work towards specific builds by collecting certain items.
As deceptively simple as this game appears, I spent a lot of time theory crafting and optimizing my build only to have my run ended by an enemy or ability I didn’t plan for. Losing was never a frustrating experience in Backpack Hero. I understood my shortcomings and planned for a better run. There are special challenges you can run if the normal game because too easy, but I mostly played in normal because I enjoyed the chill yet challenging vibe that came with it.
What I liked most about this game is how different every run felt. I never had the same build, even when I started building toward a familiar one. There was always something dumb and alluring I wanted to try. It didn’t always work out, but I had a lot of fun exploring and testing my options. The combat is a little simple. It is turn-based, and what you can do is limited by action points. You spend your action points by casting spells, attacking with weapons, or blocking with shields. I never felt like combat got stale because my strategy was constantly changing. Some runs were more fun than others, but such is life with RNGesus.
Inventory management is the most important mechanic in Backpack Hero. If you’ve played any MMO or RPG, you’ve become too familiar with the concept. I used to joke that most of my playtime on Guild Wars 2 was spent in my inventory. In Backpack Hero, you will consistently make difficult choices as you arrange and rearrange your bag. What you choose to keep in your bag affects how you play each round, so make sure you choose carefully. There are vendors and special events that will give you access to random and sometimes cool items, a smith that will upgrade your gear, and cursed items that will mess up your whole strategy. I spent a lot of time theory-crafting the perfect build and had a blast doing it, even if I never got impressively far. There are probably guides out there for the most optimal run, but I recommend you fail a couple of times on your own first.
If you have been considering getting this game or looking for a new game to get into, Backpack Hero is worth every penny. It is a cute casual game with enough kick to it to keep you entertained for hours. You can buy Backpack Hero on Steam for $16.99. Now would be a great time to pick it up because it is 20% off ($13.59) until the 13th.
The 5 games from the 6.21 Nintendo Direct I am most excited for
The last time I covered a Nintendo Direct, I listed every game presented. That was a bit overkill, so I have narrowed the list to the games I am most excited about. These are the games announced in the Nintendo Direct that I am considering getting for myself, and the list is in no particular order. Anything I leave out isn’t bad, it just isn’t my vibe.
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R
I lied in my introduction and will lead with the game I am most excited about, STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R. I am always in the market for a solid RPG, and this one looks great. I love the art, the mechanics seem solid, and I’ve only heard good things about the story. This is a reboot of the original game with promises of a better player experience. There will be new art, mechanics, and quality-of-life changes that fans should be happy about. I love that Nintendo is digging into its classic library and brining back a lot of titles that I missed out on and bringing them into the modern era of gaming. I know I could play the original by other means, but I like the convenience of playing on my Switch. STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R releases on November 2, 2023. Preorders aren’t open yet, but you can wishlist it.
Persona 5 Tactica
I have an odd relationship with strategy games. Historically I have not been a fan, but I have been sent a few good ones that have changed my opinions of the genre. I am genuinely excited for Persona 5 Tactica because it looks like a lot of fun. The art style is cute, the gameplay looks manageable, and I always end up buying Persona games. Persona 5 Tactica is set to release on November 17, 2023. It isn’t open for pre-orders yet, but you can wishlist it. I would wait to see if they come out with a collectors edition because they always load those up with cute must-haves.
DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince
I know this one will be a bit controversial because it is a Pokemon clone, but it can’t be worse than Scarlet and Violet. I remember playing Monster Warrior Monsters back in the day and loving every minute of it, so I am getting this DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS for the taste of nostalgia. Dragon Quest games are generally a good time, so I feel like it is one of the safer games on my list. I love the art, the story seems interesting, and who doesn’t want another monster-catching game? DRAGON QUEST MONSTERS: The Dark Prince comes out on December 1, 2023. Pre-orders aren’t open yet, but you can wishlist it till then.
Silent Hope
As I’ve mentioned before, I am always in the market for RPGs, and Silent Hope is a cute one I can get behind. The story seems interesting, and the art and combat style remind me of Dragalia Lost. I loved Dragalia Lost, and I am still sad Nintendo shut it down. I am here for anything that can capture the spirit of that game. Silent Hope comes out on October 3, 2023. Don’t forget to Wishlist it!
Gloomhaven
This holiday season is going to be rough on my wallet. There is a lot more to see, so make sure check out the full announcement if you have time. If you’ve been enjoying my content, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. Make sure you share my posts with your friends. Until next time, thanks for reading!
Pokemon TCG Live is Officially Out of Beta!
Pokemon TCG Online has officially shut down and been replaced by Pokemon TCG Live. You can download Pokemon TCG Live on IOS, Android, PC and Mac. While I am saddened by the end of an era, I am hopeful for the game’s future. While I have a decent win rate on both clients, keep in mind that I am speaking from an entirely casual perspective. If you are looking to me for competitive advice, I am afraid I won’t be very helpful.
Pokemon TCG Live is the best place to go if you want to learn how to play the Pokemon TCG. It’s free, it’s convenient, and the tutorial is fantastic. Players get access to decent starter decks, and they can earn more through gameplay. I wish they had trainer challenges where players could face off against AI for rewards as they had in PTCGO, but playing against real people has been great. There will be an awkward adjustment phase as the game tries to find your skill level, but this process felt quick compared to other card games I’ve tried. I only play ranked, so I can’t speak on matchmaking for casual.
I’ve been playing on the IOS app since the start of the beta, and it was rough. The game was so unplayable in the beginning that I almost gave up. Matches took too long, animations would lose frames, and there were a few noticeable bugs that made the experience terrible. There has been a bit of polish since, and I’ve been enjoying myself a lot more. There is still room for improvement, but at least on IOS, the experience is solid. I can’t speak on the experience for Android or PC.
While I am content with the state of Live, some changes will take some getting used to. I don’t like that they flipped the orientation of the gameboard. I believe this was done to accommodate for mobile devices, but it is awkward on the iPad. I’ve gotten used to it, but I have to lock the iPad so it doesn’t randomly rotate and force me into a smaller aspect ratio. I also miss tournaments and access to the theme deck format. I only played the theme decked format in PTCGO because it was the easiest way to get into the game, and I always liked trying the different starter decks. The grind for Live also seems a bit steeper than it was in PTCGO. While the grind is not as bad as in MTGA, it is noticeable. Finally, there is no more trading. I didn’t do any trading in PTCGO because I enjoyed opening my packs, but it is something to be aware of. Instead of trading packs for singles, you buy them through a dust system that works like any other CCG. I don’t buy enough cards to know how well the dust system works compared to the old way, I just know that it will be a while for me to get a meta deck.
As a casual in the space, I love Pokemon TCG Live. I love that I can play standard right at the start, I love that I can play on my phone, and love that I can play people that are around my skill level. I get stomped by people who spend money on this game on occasion, but I’ve also had some of the most intense and fun games in between. I will eventually build a meta deck, but I have been enjoying the game without one.
The best part about collecting Pokemon are the redeemable code cards you get from buying physical packs. I always feel weird throwing money into a game for digital assets that might not exist in a few years. I love that I can go to my LGS, buy a few packs, enjoy them in my collection, and then redeem them online. More card games should do this to incentivize players to spend money in the space. It bothers me that if I buy a booster box of MTG, I also have to buy it in MTGA just to play standard. Unfortunately, all my money is going into Digimon, but I like having the option.
What I love most about Pokemon TCG Live is how free-to-play-friendly compared to the other online TCGs. I know I’ve mentioned a grind, but it isn’t bad. I am speaking as a casual player who enjoys the game, but the grind doesn’t feel like work. I am sure if you do buy cards and spend money, the grind will be a lot easier, but as a free-to-play player, I have no complaints. You can unlock the battle pass for 600 gems, which you can easily earn in a few days. Unlocking the battle pass gives you access to cosmetics, packs, and more gems. I play casually and complete a reward track every single day. I’ve already decent collection without spending any money, and I’ve only been playing the starter deck. Any excess gems can be spent on decent bundles or themed decks to further expand your collection. It’s a great system.
If you are looking to get into the hobby, now is a great time to join. Pokemon TCG Live is officially out of Beta, so you won’t have to experience the rough stages I had to go through. The client runs well enough (at least on IOS), there is a healthy population of players, and Paldea Evolved is going to be a lot of fun to collect. I can’t speak about the set’s power level, but I am loving the art. The game is free. You can play on PC and Mac, and on Android and IOS devices. And if you have any of codes you aren’t using, shoot some my way!
Elder Scrolls Call To Arms Starter Set is Coming!
I would like to take a moment and talk about the board game Elder Scrolls Call to Arms. I have spent way too many hours on Skyrim, and own it on every console. Today I found out that there is also a board game, not for Skyrim, but for Elder Scrolls. While I may not have friends to play with, I enjoy window shopping games I can’t play. Call to Arms looks like a lot of fun, and if you are looking for a new tabletop wargame to play with your friends, this might be worth looking into.
The game lets players explore Tamriel with absolute freedom. You can complete quests, join the civil war, or go treasure hunting. You can even use the minis to play some other tabletop games. It has options for co-op, PVP, and even solo play, and there are already quite a few expansions and scenarios. A great place to start is the upcoming Call to Arms Starter set.
The starter set includes everything you need to get started such as:
- 1 x The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms Core Rules
- Core rule book, Quests book, Escape from Helgen Quickstart
- More than 200 cards including heroes, followers, adversaries, quests and more
- 2 die cut counter sheets
- 13 special game dice
- Imperial Plastic Starter set
- 1 x Hadvar, Hero of Helgen
- 1 x Imperial Mage
- 3 x Imperial Soldiers
- Stormcloak Plastic Starter Set
- 1 x Ralof, Warrior of the Resistance
- 1 x Ysrald Thrice Pierced, Stormcloak Commander
- 3 x Stormcloak Warriors with Greatswords
- Bleak Falls Barrow Plastic Delve
- 1 x Dragonborn, Champion of Skyrim
- 1 x Draugr Deathlord
- 3 x Skeleton Archers
- 3 x Draugr Warrior with Greatsword
The figures come unpainted and unassembled, and I am very excited to see what the community comes up with. There are some pretty cool paint jobs displayed on the official website.
As of writing this, you can only preorder the starter set in the UK for 110 GBP, which is a pretty good deal for what you are getting. I assume that the price in the US will be around $136 if Google did the conversion right.
There is already quite a bit of content out for this game, so it might be a good idea to look at that while you wait for the starter set. Chapters 1 and 2 content is currently 15% off until June 30th. It’s a good way to save a couple bucks on some minis, but it might be best to wait for the starter set. They’ll be announcing chapter 4 preorders any day now.
Before you go spending any money, it might be a good idea to try out the game. You can download the rulebook for free, and the rules are pretty simple to pick up. There is also a good amount of print-and-play content to help you get started with the system on the official website. You can print out adventures, character cards, and even the dice. This is a very cool thing the publishers are doing because nothing sucks more than buying into a system you don’t like. You can also check out the store page for free content as well.
Make sure you check out some of the tutorials to see how some of the mechanics work.
Movement
Damage
Melee
Ranged
I’ve seen a bit of the gameplay, and I like what I saw. The combat looks fun, the magic and gear system look interesting, and the AI and leveling seem to be well-designed. The game pieces look like they are great quality. I would be interested in using some of the pieces for my D&D sessions as well. I’d love some hands-on experience with the game, so if I can find some folks to play with or carve out some time for myself, I’ll let you know.
Make sure you follow the publisher on their socials to stay up to date on all the news: Facebook, Twitter, and Discord
Magic the Gathering Arena is now on Steam
I know I am a little late on this news, but Magic the Gathering Arena is now on Steam. If you are looking for the most convenient way to play MTG standard, this is a solid option. The app works well enough, and you can always find a match when you need one.
I don’t have the longest history with Magic the Gathering, but I love card games. I grew up collecting Pokemon and playing Yugioh. I got into MTG during the Return to Ravnica set when there were still base sets. One of my coworkers at the time found out I liked Yugioh, and he convinced me to get into Magic. He took me to my first Friday Night Magic, and we made it our ritual to go every Friday after. I didn’t do well, but it quickly became my favorite part of the week. I always had weird decks people enjoyed playing against, and I met some very cool people. Unfortunately, my schedule changed, and I haven’t played in person in years. I did try getting into MTGO, but it was too much of a hassle to be worth it. It didn’t capture what I loved most about Friday Night Magic.
Since then, I’ve played a lot of Hearthstone and every other CCG on the app store. It took me until Brother’s War to take MTGA more seriously. I may not be a high-ranking player, but I’ve been enjoying it for the casual magic experience that it has become for me. I don’t have friends, time, or money to get into paper Magic. As it is, I only have time for my dailies and an odd-ranked match here and there. I would love to have the time to see how high I could rank, but I am content with where I am.
I am a mostly free-to-play player. I have only spent $20 total on this game to unlock the battle pass, but I had already built my competitive standard deck without spending any money. The battle pass is a great way to build your collection if you play enough to make it worth it. You can use real money or earn gems through drafts. Be warned, the grind in this game can be soul-crushing. You will lose a lot in the beginning. Once you’ve been placed in your ELO and earned enough Wild Cards to build your deck, it gets better.
I didn’t feel like the grind was bad because I just wanted to play Magic, even if I lost. I jumped straight into ranked. I was able to get into gold casually, and it became a lot easier once I built a better deck. The starter decks get a lot of bad press, but they aren’t bad if you are just trying to play and earn your dailies. If you care about rank, just play casual. It will match you with people with the same deck level. But if you are trying to play this game seriously, there are some pretty good guides out there that will help you play efficiently.
If you’ve been thinking about getting into Magic the Gathering, MTGA is a great place to start. The color challenges give players a solid foundation for how the game works and the game does a great job of teaching players the different mechanics. The grind can be a little soul-crushing, but if you are just playing for fun, it isn’t too bad. Once you get a solid understanding of the basics and want to play with real people, I would look into getting a precon commander and finding an LGS to play at.
If you are new to MTGA, make sure you reroll your dailies. You can reroll one quest a day, reroll anything that gives you 500g and keep anything worth 750g. The most efficient way to build your collection is by playing draft. You get the most cards from drafts, and you can earn gems that you can use to unlock the battle pass or cosmetics. You also get a free pack each month by participating in a draft. If you aren’t good at draft, go download the untapped.gg companion. It has a nifty little overlay that gives tips on what to draft. If you are playing on PC, you should also be running this app. It has a fantastic feature deck building feature that sorts deck lists by what you can afford based on your collection and the number of wild cards you own.
The best advice I can give players going into this game is to not let the grind become more important than your fun. This is a game run by a greedy corporation, and they are constantly making choices that make it hard to support the game. The game is buggy and there is a huge grind in this game by design, especially if you are free-to-play. There are efficient ways to tackle this grind, but you have to evaluate if the amount of time you need to spend on that grind is worth it. If you enjoy the grind, or if the end goal is worth it, by all means, go for it. But if playing Magic becomes soul-crushing, and you find yourself logging into this game because you have to and not because you want to, it’s okay to step away, take a break, and play a different card game. Come back after you take your break, this game isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
I have read all the guides and watched all the videos. I know how to grind efficiently, but I choose to play this game in a way that is fun for me. I hate playing drafts, so I don’t draft. I know it’s more efficient than buying and opening packs, but I have more fun opening packs than drafting. What I am saying is, pick and choose the advice that helps you enjoy the game the most. Games should be fun, and Magic is no exception.
You can now play Magic the Gathering Arena on the official client, Android and IOS devices, and Steam.
Outerplane Now Live Globally
I talked about Outerplane in a previous post sharing my excitement for the new turn-based gotcha game coming to us from our friends at Smilegate. The game has some great art, fantastic voice acting, and some phenomenal animations. I won’t repeat too many of my initial thoughts, so make sure you go read my original post if you’d like to know more.
Outerplane has officially had its global launch, available now in more than 170 countries for IOS and Android devices. New players are guaranteed 80 hero pulls. Those who complete the Start Dash and Guide quest events are guaranteed a three-star hero for each event.
To commemorate the event, the Outerplane team has released special coupons to redeem for in-game gifts. Use the codes:
PLAYOUTERPLANE1 for 500 Ether
PLAYOUTERPLANE2 for 120 Stamina + 20 Cake Slice
I am excited for this game because I am always looking for a gotcha game to fill the void Dragalia Lost left behind. This game looks very promising. I will be testing it out and be back with my first impressions once I get a bit deeper into the game. Until then, it doesn’t hurt to go start your journey now. You can download Outerplane free on the Google Play store and App Store today!
Make sure you follow the socials to stay up to date on all the news: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Apex Legends: The Board Game live on Kickstarter
Apex Legends is hitting the tabletop in a new multiplayer experience that is worth some attention. The popular hero shooter is getting its own board game in an already fully funded Kickstarter. The officially licensed board game aims to bring the highly competitive and tactical experience offline, and the conversion looks successful. There is a loot system, abilities, and gear based on the game, and you can even cast the ultimates. If you are a fan of the video game, you should at least check out the page.
The base game supports three game modes for all levels of play. It includes some beautifully sculpted unpainted minis and dioramas for Bangalore, Bloodhound, Gibraltar, and Wraith. The game comes with modular buildings for fully customizable maps that you can use for your other war games. I’ll probably be using it with my Heroclix. You can buy the game for $80 which seems reasonable for what you are getting. Backers of the Kickstarter will also get the exclusive Loba expansion for free. Higher tiers include additional expansions and collectibles for cheaper than retail and access to all the stretch goals. Future expansions will open up the game to six players and bring more of the beloved characters to the table.
Minis
Painted Minis
Dioramas
More Shots of the Game
If you are a fan of Apex Legends or are looking for a new wargame to play with your friends, it might be something you add to your library. You can back Apex Legends: The Board Game on Kickstarter.
Game Review: Lightracer Spark
I was sent Lightracer Spark as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but I will keep my review honest.
Lightracer Spark is a sci-fi visual novel with light RTS elements. You play as an amender from an advanced alien cavillation on a mission to save the universe from collapsing. To do so, you must travel to developing planets and help with their evolution. You manipulate governments, stabilize economies, or eliminate anything stunting the growth of a civilization. But be wary of your choices. A single mistake could be the difference between the birth of an advanced civilization and the destruction of another. Can you bring enough planets into the modern era before it is too late?
If you like sci-fi novels, Lightracer Spark has an interesting narrative that is worth looking into. Only the first chapter of the story is playable, but there are two more chapters planned as free DLC for future releases. This game has some fantastic flavor. I love the idea of playing this god-like creature with the power to control the flow of a civilization, but the story has a few grammatical issues that are hard to overlook. Not enough to ruin the experience, but they are noticeable.
At each planet, you are given a set of issues you need to fix. It can be anything from bringing peace to a war-torn country to helping discover new technology. How you approach solutions to these problems are limited by resources gained or gather in the game. You can use your resources for things like raising armies or on buildings that grant bonuses. I felt this part of the game was a bit too slow. There is a way to speed things up, but I was never confident enough to mess with it. If you are good at RTS games, you will enjoy the pacing and gameplay a lot better.
As far as RTS games go, Lightracer Spark is fairly manageable. The tutorial does a fantastic job of slowly introducing players to the game’s mechanics without it feeling like a tutorial. The tutorial felt like an immersive conversation with an AI, and I appreciated the touch. My only complaint is that I felt like I was taught mechanics that never came up again, but that could be due to user error.
So is it worth it? Lightracer Spark is a niche game, but that isn’t a bad thing. If you like sci-fi and don’t mind the light RTS elements, you should at least look into it. The story is solid, and the flavor is well-designed. It isn’t a bad game, but you do need to enjoy this type of gameplay loop. It’s a lot of reading and waiting on timers. For those interested, you can grab your copy on Steam for 12.99. It’s not a bad price for what you get.